Equi=Core Hum & Other Issues

  Uber, I plan on having the breaker inspected and replaced. I've had multiple trips in succession.

I'm no expert but I do know there are two quality levels of circuit breaker. There is a "home" version and a higher quality version. Ask your electrician for the best breaker. The price may be a little more but since they are overall pretty inexpensive, it's not a place to save money. They may insist the lower priced unit is adequate for your home but this is not a circuit to run a .......hairdryer. ;-)

@Al, (almarg),

Thanks for the kind words.

I find it’s best just to ignore his posts.

Jim

lowrider57 OP3,542 posts

02-25-2020
8:45pm

Hi Uber. These problems came out of nowhere. Like the circuit breaker tripping, there’s no way the EquiCore is overloading a 20A circuit. That’s why I think the electrician should have a look first.

@lowrider57,

I assumed the 20 amp breaker is just a standard type breaker. It’s NOT a GFCI, or an AFCI, or an AFCI/GFCI combination type breaker.... Correct?



Overloading a 20A circuit?
I guess I should have ask you to be more specific on how quick, fast, after you would reset the breaker and then move the breaker handle to the ON position the breaker tripped. Immediately? Or after a short interval of time? I was thinking immediately when you would move the breaker handle to the ON position. Please clarify....

If the breaker trips immediately that would indicate a very high inrush current or a ground fault or short circuit, condition, event. In either case, event, the current could be well over 100 amps or more. Just a guess by you repeatedly resetting the breaker it temporarily clears the ground fault or short circuit. Can that happen? Yeah, if the fault is not a Bolted Fault. I get the impression you do not leave the Equi Core powered on 24/7. I noticed the unit enclosure looks sealed, there in no air vents to convection cool the power transformer. Have you ever added up all the connected loads plugged into the unit? How hot does the top cover of the unit get?

Question. Has the 15 amp circuit breaker on the Equi Core ever tripped?
Here is a closeup photo of the inside of the unit. Can’t get any simpler... Just an IEC inlet connector, on/off switch, 15 amp magnetic circuit breaker, power transformer, electrical wiring, and 4 duplex receptacles. At least that’s all I see.

Scroll down the page to the photo of the inside of the unit.
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/186921/core-power-technologies-equi-core-1800-review


Last but not least we have been blaming the Equi Core unit for the cause for tripping the 20 amp breaker in the electrical panel. Did you ever remove the Equi Core unit from the wall outlet and feed your audio equipment directly from the wall outlet the way you used to? I would suggest you try that. That should rule out the problem is caused by the branch circuit wiring or the branch circuit breaker. Of course you don’t know at this point, how weak the breaker is now..... You still should try it....

Jim
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CORRECTION:

jea483,262 posts

02-25-2020
9:25am

@ lowrider57


Stop using the Equi=Core..... Get it repaired.

You need to hire an electrician to have the 20 amp breaker in the electrical panel replaced. That is a must!... Repeated tripping and resetting of the breaker has damaged the thermomagnetic trip unit in the breaker.

So much for proof reading....

Repeated tripping and resetting of the breaker has damaged the thermomagnetic trip unit in the breaker.

That should read:

Repeated tripping and resetting of the breaker has damaged the thermal-magnetic trip unit in the breaker.


Jim

@jea48 , I'll try and answer all your questions. Here goes...
I leave the EquiCore on 24 hrs/day. My weekly schedule changes so when there's two or three days I won't be listening, I shut it down. To power up the system, I turn on the Equi=Core, then the panel breaker trips immediately. I used to repeat this procedure but the panel tripped every time I turned the EQ on. Now I stand at the panel with the EQ power switch in the on position and retry the breaker every few seconds until resetting is successful. The 20A is a standard residential breaker.

The breaker on the EQ has never tripped and the unit has always run cool. All inputs are low-current-draw components; DAC, transport, iFi reclocker, LPS with 50VA torroid, Bluesound Node. (all digital, no SMPS) Amp and preamp are on a 2nd dedicated line.

 I will swap in my old Brick Wall conditioner when I have a chance. Good idea.